Labor Party starts looking for a new President of the Norwegian parliament

The Labor Party (AP) is aiming to elect a new President of the Norwegian parliament (Storting) during the next week.

The internal nomination committee in the Labor Party’s parliamentary group has been commissioned to find a replacement for Eva Kristin Hansen, who resigned following the commuter housing scandal.

The chairman of the committee, Åsmund Aukrust, says that the process is still in its initial stages.

“The only thing we have talked about in the party is that we should have the ambition to elect a new president of the Storting during the next week,” Aukrust told NTB.

“We will find a person who will have the confidence of the entire Storting.”

Gender aspect

The Labor Party currently has two members in the Presidency of the Storting: outgoing President Eva Kristin Hansen and Sverre Myrli.

Myrli did not want to comment on whether we would take over after Hansen.

“I have no comment on that,” Myrli wrote in an SMS to NTB.

A complicating factor is that Myrli is a man. But according to Aukrust, it is not a given that the next president must also be a woman.

“It is not an absolute requirement. But the Labor Party has two members in the presidency, and we must have a man and a woman. There is no doubt about that.”

Looking for a president who inspires trust 

Aukrust further says that the nomination committee is looking for a person who inspires trust both in the population and across the parties in the Storting.

In addition, it must be an experienced politician.

“And then it must be a person who can do the big ‘cleaning’ job that obviously needs to be done (note: in relation to the commuter housing scandal). The politicians now have a job to do, and we need a skilled president who can clean (this) up,” Aukrust said.

“All politicians have a responsibility in this, but the president has a special responsibility on behalf of the entire Storting and the political establishment.”

Weekend work

The nomination committee will now use the weekend to get started with the work.

“The most important thing is that we find the right person,” Aukrust added.

Hansen resigned as President of the Storting on Thursday night, after it became known that the police are opening an investigation into the commuter cases in the Storting. 

Hansen is among those who may have used free commuter housing in violation of the rules.

Source: © NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today / #NorwayTodayNews

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